Domineering over almost half of Lombok, Mt Rinjani is Indonesia’s second-tallest volcano, sitting at 3726m above sea level. To the Balinese, this majestic mountain is one of the three sacred peaks, along with Bali’s Mount Agung and Java’s Mount Bromo.

The mountain’s astonishing peaks pierce into the clouds with several volcanic rocks (rhyolite) and rolling hillsides attracting various trekkers who thrill to the other-worldly vistas. My friends and I were one of them.

Despite scaling this incredible mountain for the second time, its riveting beauty only gets better with each climb. Not forgetting the difficulty it entails, your fitness level has to be at a moderate level and definitely we weren’t there. 😴

Just for the camera, really.

Best time to trek

Rinjani National Park is open from April to January with April and May being the quietest season to trek. Also, it may be the best season to witness the magical Milky Way.

It’s my second time with them and their immense service has never failed us. An established volcano trekking company with several years of experience packed amongst their guides, Rinjani Samalas has an array of packages to choose from. It offers one night to four nights trek to suit different kinds of level and adventure. To prep us for the trek, a succinct briefing was given by the guide the night before.

Homestay with Rinjani Samalas

The lodge was accommodating and basic enough for us to prepare for the gruelling hike the day after. The humble abode has a restaurant attached to it which makes it even more convenient as the village is filled with homestays while cafe/ coffee shops are scarce.

A handful of impressive waterfalls are a walking distance which includes Sendang Gile and the massive Tiu Kelep Waterfall.

The homeowners of the homestay looked after our belongings when we set off for our hike, which we began our adventure being cramped in the back of a pickup truck.

Not too shabby aye.

Day 1

The bumpy ride led us to the Rinjani Volcano National Park Office where we got our permits after signing our names.

With high spirits and adrenaline, we were greeted by vast open lands with leaned paths and often at the full mercy of the piercing heat.

The surprising part of the trek is the diverse landscapes the sacred mountain park has to offer. We went through a never-ending ghostly forest and at times, we found ourselves scaling up a canyon, with rocks and boulders to stride on. We definitely didn’t expect a volcano to look anything other than a few random bushes and some rocks but we couldn’t have been more wrong.

1 Michelin star restaurant.

Lunch is served by the talented porters who are our MVPs throughout the climb. Lugging on their shoulders are our care packages which consisted of water supply, tents, sleeping bags and probably their whole kitchen. Chicken rice tastes so much better on the mountaintop.

After an endless climb, we finally arrived at our sick camping spot on the cliff edge with a magnificent vista. We watched as the sun went down the crater and the clouds were dipping well below us. Our pain and plights disappeared for a moment.

One of the highlights of the trek was probably witnessing the Milkyway firsthand. Though it varies on the season, the abundance of glimmering white spots in the sky won’t shy away from sight.

Credits to a skilful and generous stranger who helped us with this sick shot.

Day 2

Rolling out at our tents in the chilly, pitch-black sky at 2 am, we prepared ourselves for the summit push with breakfast made by our star porters.

‘Summit push’ in Rinjani volcano context is an intense, most gruelling kind of torture both physically and mentally. Many have given up, some fell asleep huddled behind a rock, taking a respite from the wild and unforgiving winds.

For those who know, knows.

It’s like climbing a sand dune, two steps up and one step back. On a fine and steep volcanic ash, this mental torture carries on for a hellish four hours. As we scaled up higher, the temperature began to drop and the wind was relentless. That’s when we realised, it’s just us mentally doing the hike.

The beauty of this hike is whether you arrived late or early, you will be blessed with a stunning view.

Each and every one of us arrived at the top (eventually, somehow) after an exhausting climb. And, we could only look out in silence after a moment of cheers, in awe of the achievement and the misery throughout the last 24 hours. 🍻

I am the view.

Day 2 – The Descent

As detrimental and painful it was to the knees and toes, the descending was less miserable (I didn’t say it’s easy). After plenty of slips and fall later, we stumbled back to the base camp with our breakfast served like in a hotel. Scrambled eggs, pancakes and hot tea as the icing on the cake revived our morale, I think. Bags packed, stomachs filled and rubbish cleared (bring your thrash bags guys 😠), we then continued the slippery descent.

Throw me to the wolves.

The sting in our quads was quite intense but we were sheltered in the dense rainforest of Rinjani for the rest of the hike. We kept looking back to see how far we’ve come and laughed it off. Never ever again, we thought.

While descending the perpetual trail down, never had we thought, we would make it back to the homestay and here we were finally made it. After a quick shower and reuniting with our belongings, Rinjani Samalas package includes a ride back to the airport or to your next location in Lombok. A 2 hours ride down from the north transported our tireless and beaten bodies to a dreamy villa in Senggigi, which we fully-deserved. Yes, we do.

However, as I am penning these words down, the nostalgia and longing to visit the mountains linger and hits me hard. I’ll be back, that’s what Arnold Schwarzenegger said. As great as it feels to be back to civilisation, sometimes you just need to disconnect.

Vibin’.

The Rinjani Samalas Experience

Our welfare and hiking itinerary were well-taken care of right when we touched down into Lombok. From airport transfers to being in the clouds to being locked in the toilet at the homestay, you are in safe hands.

The members of this hiking company embody the people of Lombok and that is only the least part of it. Truly, Lombok brings different levels of hospitality and warmth to everyone and that is what makes the Indonesian island of smouldering vistas, beautiful.

And no, this is not a sponsored post.

Lombok, a province in West Nusa Tenggara, has officially received UNESCO Biosphere status. A biosphere reserve is a label given by UNESCO which is a unique ecosystem that is conserved and protected for research and educational purposes. Ecosystem which includes the ever-majestic volcano, Mt Rinjani.

As of today, there are 699 biosphere reserves in 120 countries, 11 of which are located in Indonesia.

Situated within the magical hills of Bukit Batu Layar, Lombok, Villa Umbrella doesn’t shy away from the crimson sunset as it overlooks the Java Sea with the giant triangular cone of Bali’s Mt. Agung towering in the background.

Senggigi is enjoying increased attention thanks to a growing number of stylish villas. Spanning a total of 5 spacious, views-thirsty rooms and an infinity pool, Villa Umbrella is set within the verdant grounds and orchard of Lombok. Comprised of 2 suites and 3 restful guest rooms, the Australian-owned haven can accommodate up to 15 people.

There’s no need to worry about your family or friends being on top of each other with plenty of common areas — both indoors and outdoors — to lounge around. Complete with high-vaulted ceilings and directly accessible balconies, it’s definitely the ideal destination for a group trip.

As the evening progresses, move towards the property’s canopy-covered area to enjoy late-night chat and drinks, or enjoy the 180 degrees of unobstructed view of the sunset right from the balcony. And there’s no need to leave your poolside chaise longue: the villa comes fully equipped with cooking and cleaning staff.

Whether it’s for a romantic escape, a break with your best friends or a family getaway, your holiday experience is not complete with Villa Umbrella’s warm and hospitable staff to help you settle in your new abode.

Despite being neatly placed amid the rolling hills of Senggigi, you don’t have to miss out on going to the beach. The villa is a short ride down to Pantai Senggigi where you can bask in the sea salt and witness Lombok ‘s stunning coastline. Whether you are visiting the local cafes for Sasak’s delicacies or bike past the coastal hills for breathtaking views, you will come home refreshed and rejuvenated. Especially, after a treacherous hike at Mt Rinjani. Villa Umbrella is the place to be.

Unparalleled viewsTwo-Bedroom Grand Laval Suite

Shoutout to Ratna, Amel, Melly, Anto and team for the unconditional love and hospitality. You showed us the epitome of Lombok and its beauty could never be found elsewhere but right here in Villa Umbrella. Thank you.

If you have ever been to Canggu in the beautiful Bali, you must have passed or at least heard about the infamous Canggu shortcut. It’s an 800m shortcut that cuts right through the evergreen paddy fields and takes you to the main road. While it’s nice and serene to drive by the paddy fields, hundreds have fallen into them. I present you, the Canggu Shortcut!

What is the shortcut about?

The Canggu shortcut connects Batu Bolong to Berawa. It doesn’t really bring you straight to Seminyak but it’s only 5 minutes from there. Canggu and Seminyak are two of the most popular spots in Bali with the sizable influx of tourist keep pouring in. Let’s imagine the horrendous traffic between these two major areas. Without the shortcut, you can expect to be stuck in a jam somewhere along the main road called Jalan Raya Canggu for more than an hour. You don’t want your holiday to be ruined by a jam (or macet in Indonesian), do you?

Or you can just escape to the ever serene Ubud where tranquillity and zen lies.

The shortcut is a small-cobbled road with a width of barely two cars. Hell yes, it is a two-way road. Here comes the madness. Only a car can pass at a time, while the other park themselves at the edge of the road letting it pass. I forgot to mention there are other road users like the bike riders (they are everywhere) and they are constantly trying to get past the cars.

It takes about 5-15 minutes to drive through this infamous shortcut, depending on the traffic. Still better than the macet.

Where is this shortcut in Canggu?

This Bali road hack begins at the corner of Jl Nelayan and ends at Jl Raya Semat where you can see Warung Heboh. From there, you will definitely see a number of cars and bikes coming out from a corner and that’s where the madness begins (or ends if you’re from the opposite). It is easy to locate this shortcut from various landmarks from Batu Bolong like Cafe Voyager and Canggu Tattoo Studio.

Why is it infamous?

Now, this is where the madness begins. I have stated earlier that hundreds have fallen. This is a common sight amongst locals and it is a daily occurrence. Motorcycles and cars drive too close to the edge to avoid the oncoming traffic and joined the rice field as well. It’s far more dangerous for cars as it can topple over. As Canggu is populated with travel bloggers/digital nomads, I’ve heard of plenty who have their laptop and work devices broken due to the fall. Crazy!

Personally and thankfully, during my stay in Canggu, I’ve never witnessed one accident at the Canggu shortcut. All’s well and swell!

Now, man, do you have any tips?

There are plenty of takeaways for the infamous Canggu shortcut, and some of which I’ve mentioned above. For instance, the distance of the shortcut, the duration it takes from one end to the other and of course, the imminent dangers.Additional tips:

It gets pack like sardines and real busy during early mornings and peak hours

Avoid this shortcut during night time due to the poor lighting

If you’re a first-timer on a motorbike, do have plenty of practices prior to tackling this shortcut

Always wear a helmet (duh)

As tempting as it might be, avoid overtaking

If you are not used to having a pillion, steer clear of using this shortcut

With all these in mind and well-taken note of, I’m guessing you’re ready to escape the ‘macet’ and be on your way to Seminyak in no time and be a Canggu expert. Or even blending in with the locals, effortlessly.